How to Install a Carpet Kit for a VW Bug

William ZaneUpdated July 19, 2017

Your VW Bug's carpeting is one of the most noticeable aspects of its interior. Over time, though, the carpeting on a well-used car becomes faded, worn and sometimes even torn. Luckily, the Bug is a small car with a small interior, making it an easy job to replace the carpeting, which will transform your vehicle's interior. New carpeting brings back that new car smell, and adds a crisp and clean appearance to your Bug's interior. Carpet kits for Volkswagen Beetles are available from a variety of sources, including Apple Tree Auto.

Remove the seats, which are held on with bolts at the front and back, with a socket and ratchet.

Pull up the old carpeting and the sound deadening underneath it. Take note of which pieces of carpet go where and how they overlap. Use a camera and take photos or draw a diagram.

Scrape all of the excess glue, sound deadening and any other material that is stuck to the floor. Clean the floor and all of the areas where the carpeting will be placed with the cleaner and a rag. Dry it thoroughly.

Remove the shift lever by unbolting the two 13mm bolts. Set the shifter aside.

Apply adhesive on each piece of carpeting as you go. If you are spraying it on, spray on two or three angled layers, holding the can about 10 inches from the carpet. Let the adhesive set up for about five minutes before laying each section in place.

Install the new carpet one piece at a time, following the directions that come with the carpet kit or the diagram that you made to keep track of where each piece of carpet goes. Start with the footwells and then work your way back down the sides of the car, finishing with the rear area behind the front seats. The carpet that goes behind the rear seats may need some trimming to fit properly.

Install the pieces that run along the side below the door with the wide pieces towards the back. When you remove the old pieces, be sure to note if the carpeting goes under the metal edge or simply over it.

Cut a hole for the emergency brake for the centre piece of carpeting with the scissors or the utility knife. Roll the carpeting up to the emergency brake on each side to determine where the hole should be cut. Once you have made the cut, install it over the emergency brake and glue it into place.

Glue the piece of carpeting on that covers the shifter. Cut a hole in the carpeting for the shift lever. Allow the glue to dry then reinstall the shift lever over the new carpeting. Reinstall the seats.

Tip

When the seats and carpeting are out of the car, this is a good time to paint the pedal and restore the pedal assembly, seat rails and any other metal surfaces that are not upholstered.

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About the Author

William Zane has been a freelance writer and photographer for over six years and specializes primarily in automotive-related subject matter among many other topics. He has attended the Academy of Art College in San Francisco, where he studied automotive design, and the University of New Mexico, where he studied journalism.